The invention relates to a method and a medical system for improved utilization of a medical appliance. The invention additionally relates to a medical appliance.
The highest possible utilization of expensive medical appliances, such as computer tomographs or magnetic resonance appliances, is worth striving for for reasons of return on investment. Inadequacies in the co-ordination of appointments of patients who are to be examined with such an appliance result from time to time in times during which the medical appliance remains unused, which in turn has a negative effect on the return on investment. In DE 119 11 699 A1, for example a method is disclosed for monitoring, controlling and optimizing process plans or working sequence plans, in that on the basis of process plans or working sequence plans already registered, the actual state of working units and an intended process plan or intended working project plan for a working unit are registered by means of stating performance features. On the basis of the actual state, the intended state or the performance features, a modified process plan or working sequence plan is then drawn up for the working unit.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,678,568 described a medical control system by means of which settings and operating states of a plurality of medical appliances connected to the control system can be indicated and changed.
The object of the invention is therefore a method for improved utilization of a medical appliance, having the following method steps:
a) registering the operating status of the medical appliance,
b) transmitting the operating status to a central location,
c) on the basis of the transmitted operating status, continuously determining the time during which the medical appliance has not been used, and
d) notifying at least one person when the time duration exceeds a predefined value.
The method according to the invention is therefore characterized in that the operating status of the medical appliance is determined and transmitted to a central location. The operating status comprises, for example, statements as to whether the appliance is used or not used. The appliance is used when an examination is carried out on a patient by means of the appliance. These statements can, for example, be noted by an operator of the medical appliance and transmitted to the central location, for example each time the operating status changes. At the central location, the time during which the medical appliance has not been used is then determined. This information can, for example, be used for statistical purposes, or, according to the invention, when the time during which the medical appliance is not used is exceeded by a predefined value, at least one person is notified, that is to say when the medical appliance remains unused for too long, a person, for example a coordinator for appointments for examinations of patients, is informed, so that the latter improves the coordination of the appointments, and therefore the utilization of the medical appliance is increased.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the operating status of the medical appliance comprises statements as to whether the medical appliance is occupied, occupied and activated, occupied but not activated and/or not occupied. The medical appliance is occupied when data from a patient who is examined with the medical appliance have been input into or called up from a computer associated with the medical appliance for the examination, so that an examination of the patient can be carried out with the medical appliance. The appliance is not occupied when the examination has been completed. xe2x80x9cOccupied and activatedxe2x80x9d is understood to mean that the actual examination, that is to say a measurement with the medical appliance, is being carried out and xe2x80x9coccupied but not activatedxe2x80x9d is understood to mean that although the data about the patient has been input into or called up from the computer associated with the medical appliance, the actual examination has not yet been started or has been interrupted. The sum of the times during which the medical appliance is occupied and activated and is occupied but not activated therefore corresponds to the time during which the medical appliance is occupied.
According to a variant of the invention, the time during which the medical appliance is not used corresponds to the time during which the medical appliance is not occupied or is occupied but not activated. The time during which the medical appliance is occupied but not activated permits, for example, conclusions to be drawn about the effective operation of the medical appliance. An increased time during which the medical appliance is not occupied permits conclusions to be drawn about a lack of coordination of examination appointments.
In order to evaluate the operating status, in particular statistically, according to one embodiment of the invention, the central location is assigned a database, in which data associated with the operating status is stored.
According to an advantageous variant of the invention, a supervisor monitors the operating status at the central location and informs the person when the time during which the medical appliance is not used exceeds the predefined value.
The supervisor can monitor the operating status particularly beneficially if, according to a further variant of the invention, the operating status is displayed graphically. For example, the operating status can be reproduced over a time axis, so that the supervisor recognizes times during which the medical appliance is not used and times during which the medical appliance is used in a simple manner. Therefore, for example, the supervisor can rapidly detect when the time during which the medical appliance is not used exceeds the predefined value, in order that he or she can notify the person or the persons.
A further embodiment of the invention is particularly advantageous, if the central location is assigned an evaluation device, which monitors the operating status and notifies the person when the time during which the medical appliance is not used exceeds the predefined value. Therefore, for example, the supervisor is assisted by a machine, or the supervisor can be dispensed with entirely.
The person who is notified when the time during which the medical appliance is not used has exceeded the predefined value is, according to a further embodiment of the invention, associated with a ward, a research department, an operator organization of the medical appliance, a hospital management or is an operator of the medical appliance. For example, provision is made that, when the time during which the medical appliance is occupied but not activated exceeds a first predefined value, contact is made with the operator in order, for example, to find out whether he or she has problems with the operation of the medical appliance. If this time duration exceeds a second, greater predefined value, for example the operator""s supervisor is informed, in order that he or she trains the operator better, for example. Should the time during which the medical appliance is not occupied exceed a further predefined value, a person belonging to a ward can also be notified, in order that he or she organizes an examination with the medical appliance of a patient associated with this ward. Alternatively, a person in a research department can also be informed, for example after consultation with the operator, that the medical appliance is available for research purposes. In the event that a still longer predefined time duration is exceeded, an arrangement is also made to inform a person belonging to the hospital management.
Particularly reliable monitoring of the operating status is provided if, according to a further variant of the invention, the medical appliance determines its operating status automatically. In particular if the operating status is determined with computer assistance, then given suitable computer linking, it is possible to transmit the operating status continuously to the central location in a straightforward manner.
According to a variant of the invention, the medical appliance is an X-ray appliance, a computer tomograph, a magnetic resonance appliance, an ultrasound appliance or a lithotripter. These appliances in particular are expensive, and good utilization is worth striving for.
The object of the invention is also achieved by a system for improved utilization of a medical appliance having a first computer for determining the operating status of the medical appliance, means for transmitting the operating status to a central location, a second computer for continuously determining the time during which the medical appliance has not been used, and means for notifying at least one person when the time duration exceeds a predefined value. The system according to the invention is therefore designed in such a way that it can be used to carry out the method described above.
Further advantages of the invention emerge from the subclaims.
The object of the invention is also achieved by a medical appliance having means for determining whether the medical appliance is occupied, occupied and activated, occupied but not activated and/or not occupied. Such a medical appliance makes it possible to determine its operating status automatically in a simple way. A use of such a medical appliance for the method mentioned above facilitates carrying out the method.
Further advantages of the invention emerge from the subclaims.